In a typical sense, being a camp counselor taught me a lot of character traits. For example, being a camp counselor means having extreme patience. There will be days when you want to rip all of your hair out, or even rip the campers' hair out. On these days, instead of letting your frustrations get to you, you will remember that these kids are under your care.
Certain kids don't have great social skills, or even great home lives, and as a camp counselor it becomes your responsibility to make sure they are happy and safe. Sure, you aren't their legal guardian, but you learn to accept these kids for who they are. The kids I've been thankful to work with the past two years have also taught me how to enjoy myself. My campers are some of the toughest and most genuine kids, and I wouldn't trade them for the world.
We discover life changing events that take place in their lives, and we discover just how strong they really are. When certain kids are picked on for their size, or their interests, they show their hard skin and still enjoy camp. I've learned through watching the campers interact just how crucial it is to be true to yourself.
On our last day of camp, we passed out paper plate awards, each with individual meanings and phrases per camper. Each of their faces lit up like the summer sunsets I watched so vividly. Each of these kids brings such amazing and wonderful traits to camp, redefining the word "community". When I watch these kids and see the fear in their eyes, or the trouble in their expressions, all I want is to take that away.
As counsellors, we are taught how to accept and understand those around us as much as we can, even kids. As a music therapy major, working with campers has really helped me gain confidence in my ability to accept people for who they are. In the world we live in today, I feel as if my campers could show what compassion and acceptance really is. For the past two summers, I have worked nine hour shifts, five days a week with the same kids. Growing to learn their names, their hobbies, and what they want to do when they're older has all been such a lesson to me.
They've not only taught me responsibility, but appreciation for what we have. Growing up and going to the same summer camp I now work at has helped me realize just how much my counsellors guided me. As these kids complete elementary, middle, and high school, I hope that they remember their camp counsellors from the rinky-dink town they grew up in. I hope I impacted their lives as much as they have impacted mine.
